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Cedar Siding

Written by Patricia Skinner

If you like the contemporary look, or the Shaker look, you'll love the idea of adorning your house with traditional cedar siding. People choose cedar to clad the outside walls of their homes for its durability, lightweight and its beauty. In addition, cedar makes an excellent insulating material which makes it valuable both winter and summer.

You can basically get two types of cedar siding lumber; red and white. Controversy rages as to which is best. I think that like everything else, it all boils down to a matter of taste and availability! Western red cedar is supposed to be the supreme choice in cedar, renowned for its looks and superior lasting power.

Buying Cedar Siding

Red cedar is much stronger than white cedar. Although the two types of wood have the same levels of resistance to weathering and pests, the original strength is much less. White cedar will break much more easily than its red counterpart. It's worth finding out exactly how you should apply your cedar siding to make sure that you get the best out of your product and that it makes a significant contribution to the value of your home.

To begin with, keep your cedar dry and protected before you apply it. Make sure that if you're expecting moisture in the near future that you apply a moisture barrier underneath your cedar. You can buy either kiln dried cedar siding of two qualities, or cedar that has not been dried. Green cedar as it is called needs to be seasoned for at least thirty days (each plank separated from the other to allow air to circulate) before you go ahead and apply it to your outside walls.